Why was Israel able to win their Independence war against five Arab countries?

Question

In true David and Goliath fashion, it seems little Israel beat up five Arab countries, Iraq, Jordan, Egypt, Palestine, Syria, plus a number of irregular soldiers from guerrilla groups. Obviously, many of the Jews had weapons, training and experience from WW2. But were there any other reasons for their success?

Ted: What exactly do you know about the Arab point of view in that war? How do you know they weren't fighting for the same thing? The Palestine region, then called Transjordan, was given to both Arabs and Jews living in the area to share equally. To this day, the Arabs there, labelled "Palestinians", are fighting for their cause, a free state! But they have no hope of winning. Why not? Is there "cause" not great enough? I think you overlook the economic and political facts. Israel had "friends in high places", like USA, to supply them. Arabs had no one. A "cause" is NOT the reason a war is won, although its definitely a reason to fight!

To 'buck':

#1 better trained : Yes, I agree. But by whom? USA?

#2 better equipped: same as above.

#3 better intelligence: I hope you mean militarily, and are not implying a racist comment like Arabs are "stupider" than Jews.

#4 more of a noble cause: You must be joking!! How was the Arab cause less noble? They fought for their own states to be safe too!

#5 better quality of soldier: Yes, goes with the training. But again, who helped? They were not a state yet.

And the God thing....Whose God? Are you saying other countries had a "wrong" view of God and only the Jews are right? The Jews appointed themselves as "God's chosen people". Certainly, every race sees themselves as most important. But spare me the "Gods chosen people" crap!!! Its an insult to all Muslims, Christians and any other religious creed.

To 'Caretaker': Fascinating info. Never heard of it, but it certainly helped.

To ''Alex Grant": Please read a history book before you send naive answers like that. Do people really think this way? Man, that's scary...

To MincoRep: Great answer! That makes perfect sense. You're right, in a war focus means a lot, as it did then. You also accurately showed the flaws in the otherrwise well-equipped Arab armies. Amazing that some uninformed people still think it was so nonsensical reason, like the Jews were "God's chosen people"!

To MincoRep: Great answer! That makes perfect sense. You're right, in a war focus means a lot, as it did then. You also accurately showed the flaws in the otherrwise well-equipped Arab armies. Amazing that some uninformed people still think it was so nonsensical reason, like the Jews were "God's chosen people"!

Answer 1

The Israeli "Army" had a couple of things that the Arab armies did not. A centralized command, including a Jewish- American volunteer named David Daniel "Mickey" Marcus. A Colonel in the United States Army, and West Point graduate, he had been commandant of the new "Army Ranger" school during WW2. Sneaking into Palestine under a false name, he became Israel's first General and organized a command and control structure adopted to the very special needs of the Israeli Army. In short, the Israeli's had someone that could initiate and institute a plan of attack and defense. It was his creation of a road through the mountains that allowed the men and materials needed to break through and lift the Arab seige of Jerusalem just before the UN mandated cease fire. He was killed by friendly fire just hours before the end of the war. He is the only American soldier buried in the West Point Cemetery that was killed serving under another nation's flag. David ben Gurion labelled him "...the best man we had." The other thing that the Israeli's had going for them was unity. While there were many Orthodox Jews that did not want a Zionist State, most of the Jewish population was supportive. Unity has always been a downfall of the different Arabic nations. They served under different commands, and while they often shared a common goal, the Arab armies pursued this goal in various and sometimes antagonistic ways. It wasn't superior training, or arms, it was FOCUS, that won that first war. They did not try to defeat the armies of the Arab world, they knew that all they had to do was stalemate in most places and win in a few, and they would be victorious because the rest of the world (the UN) would intervene. Largely in part to General of the Jerusalem Front Mickey Marcus, they did just that.

Answer 2

The Israeli War of Independence can be divided into two distinct phases:in the first, from Nov.1947 to May 1948 the Jews and local Arabs (Palestinians) fought it out in the wake of the UN partition plan, which the Jews on the whole accepted and the Arabs rejected and tried to prevent it's implementation by force. In the second phase, from May 1948 until the end of the war in early 1949, the newly declared State of Israel faced multiple invasions by the regular armies of Egypt Syria Transjordan and Iraq.
Throughout the entire war the Israelis were vastly outnumbered but were highly motivated , they felt that they were fighting for survival, fighting for their lives and that's what you should take into account above all.

Answer 3

The most essential effort was the British and by association their allies in those beginning days of the cold war.

Years ago I read an interesting book I believe was called, "Five Plants That Transformed Mankind". According to the author, British support was due in large part to a Jewish scientist who developed, synthetic Quinine.

Natural Quinine was a rare commodity at the time and it's synthetic availability allowed British troops to function in Malaria infested regions during the war. This was seen as a significant contribution to the outcome of the war. The scientist was active in the efforts to form a Jewish state and with his Benefactors was able to influence British opinion.

It is a very interesting book, Quinine, Sugar, Tea, Cotton and the Potato are the five plants. There's a brief synopsis at http://www.mmmfiles.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=73&Itemid=33

Answer 4

#1 better trained
#2 better equipped
#2 better intelligence
#3 more of a noble cause
#4 better quality of soldier

And yes some may find this crazy GOD!!
Remember the Jews are gods chosen people

Answer 5

Yes, the cause. They were fighting for the survival of a nation, while Arab soldiers fight because they had to. A considerable difference which can define the fighting capability of men at war.If the cause is deemed right in their minds, then the more they will win.

Answer 6

i visit characteristic this one theory to all the others: and that they have got greater effective than a 4th grade instruction. solid previous basic instruction is available in reachable, in assessment to the uneducated morons of Saddam's in Kuwait or all the others in the area. occasion: regardless of each and every thing the time Saddam's military held Kuwait his genius forces, broke pc video show contraptions by fact they theory they have been broken TVs, used hammers to knock off the blend dials from vault doorways, rammed the doorways and vault partitions with autos, decrease off the hinges,(that's how we knew a secure attack develop into executed by a junky here). All that element, with artillery handy, those F ING MORONS weren't even smart adequate to blow a vault wall with a one 0 five or one hundred fifty five. ALL contents have been risk-free.

Answer 7

simple, the Bible states that Isreal is different than any other arab nation...........when isreal is abandoned by its allies, such as the u.s., then the end times are near.........